Archinect - Features

Design, Computation, and Humans: Exploring the Intersection with Onur Yüce Gün

2023-11-27T07:36:00-05:00

For Onur Yüce Gün, the study of computation is the study of the human condition itself. A mission to anchor humans at the center of AI and computational design brought Gün on an educational journey from Middle East Technical University in his native Turkey to the MIT Design and Computation Group, and a professional journey from Kohn Pedersen Fox to his current position as Director of Computational Design at the global footwear brand New Balance.

Whether foot soles or skyscrapers, Gün recognizes the power of blending the hard-won 'generalist specialist' skill of the human designer with the unprecedented power of AI and computation to unlock new scales and resolutions for us to explore, sculpt, and craft. While new waves of generative AI tools such as Midjourney and ChatGPT amplify conversations over job replacement, biases, and a loss of meaning, Gün's position is unwavering: "No matter how advanced the design tools, or how advanced the computational techniques are, the human intenti...

'AI Is Built on Datasets That Are Already Biased'; A Conversation with Felecia Davis

2023-06-22T08:27:00-04:00

Ever since her childhood summers sewing patterns at the family dining table, Felecia Davis has understood the power of textiles to be a vehicle for communication, connection, and understanding. As her career in architecture unfolded in parallel with wider advances in computational capabilities, Davis dedicated her studies, and subsequent career, to the question of how computational textiles could intersect with and challenge social, cultural, and political constructions.

This dedication to mobilizing design and creativity in the name of confronting societal biases permeates Davis' many leadership positions, whether as the founder of Felecia Davis Studio, a co-founder of the Black Reconstruction Collective, or as an associate professor at Penn State University, where she directs SOFTLAB; a research group dedicated to tools, methods, and design solutions associated with computational textiles. Davis’ leadership in the field has been recognized through many honors, including the Archit...

'The Notion of AI as a Form of Augmentation or Enhancement Is Fascinating to Me'; A Conversation with Behnaz Farahi

2023-06-05T07:31:00-04:00

Behnaz Farahi stands at an eclectic intersection between culture and technology. Trained as an architect, with specializations in computational design, interactive technologies, additive manufacturing, and digital fabrication, Farahi asks how emerging technologies can allow us to creatively explore the most pressing social and cultural issues of our time, from hierarchies and biases to objectification and bodily perception.

Among these many explorations, Farahi has won particular acclaim for her use of fashion to interrogate and subvert the subject of the male gaze on female bodies. In addition to honors and awards from the Cooper Hewitt, Fast Company, and beyond, Farahi's work has been the subject of several exhibitions, including Returning the Gaze at Milan Fashion Week (2022), Caress of the Gaze at the A+D Museum (2016), and most recently, in the immersive experiences Oneness and Blindness at the CSULB Innovation Space on June 10th, 2023.

In May 2023, Archinect's Niall Patrick W...

The Manifold Transparencies of Virgil Abloh

2019-06-28T12:03:00-04:00

Archinect has published news posts about fashion designer, artist and Louis Vuitton director Virgil Abloh in the last year, but only to announce any time that he had collaborated with an architect or an architectural theorist. What we had never mentioned, however, is that Abloh is himself trained as an architect, having obtained a Master of Architecture degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in 2003, and has since gone on to describe the lessons learned and architecture studied during these years as crucial to his current success.

A Conversation With Julia Koerner, Architecture’s Queen of 3D Fabrication

2019-05-06T12:00:00-04:00

From the runway to the big screen, and now the red carpet, Austrian architect Julia Koerner has set herself apart as a designer due to her relentless quest for 3D fabrication mastery. Quickly becoming a household name, Koerner splits her time running her practice JK Design GmbH and her role as a faculty member at UCLA's Architecture and Urban Design department. Her architecture background is nothing short of impressive, attending the University of Applied Arts in Vienna and the Architectural Association in London. During her studies, she was surrounded and influenced by the minds of Zaha Hadid, Wolf Prix, and Greg Lynn.

Koerner's prowess in digital computation transformed her into one of the industry's leading 3D fabrication designers. Archinect spent some time with Koerner for an in-depth interview discussing her start as a designer, working in fashion, teaching, and what it was like working on the Oscar-winning film, Black Panther.

Telling semiotic tales with Laurel Broughton of WELCOMEPROJECTS

2016-04-07T09:07:00-04:00

Designer Laurel Broughton is serious about playfulness in WELCOMEPROJECTS, a multi-disciplinary studio she established in Los Angeles in 2012. Since then, her studio has worked on a variety of art installations, interiors, and a growing collection of thematic sartorial accessories called WELCOMECOMPANIONS. Regardless of the project type, they’re all imbued with Broughton’s own surrealistic sense of whimsical flair that has captured the attention of designers, artists, and fashionistas alike.

Prototyping: "Architecture in Digital Fashion" makes parametricism personal

2014-08-29T11:18:00-04:00

Fashion design may seem far removed from architecture, but both disciplines have the human scale at their centers. One intimately wraps the body, the other moderates its passage through the world, but both are occasions for self-expression and vital to survival. The organizers behind Parametrica [Digi Fab School]’s “Architecture in Digital Fashion” workshop are encouraging architecture and design students to apply their skillset in these overlaps, to explore how wearable materials and architectural forms can inform one another.

Working out of the Box: Justin LeBlanc

2013-10-29T10:12:00-04:00

Working out of the Box is a series of features presenting architects who have applied their architecture backgrounds to alternative career paths.

In this installment, we're talking with architect-turned-fashion designer (and Project Runway season 12 finalist) Justin LeBlanc.

Are you an architect working out of the box? Do you know of someone that has changed careers and has an interesting story to share? If you would like to suggest an (ex-)architect, please send us a message.

Working out of the Box: Gustavo Almeida-Santos

2013-07-16T18:49:00-04:00

Working out of the Box is a series of features presenting architects who have applied their architecture backgrounds to alternative career paths.

In this installment, we're talking with Spain-based Brazilian Creative Director/Creative Consultant Gustavo Almeida-Santos.

Working out of the Box: Airi Isoda, Architect-turned-Fashion Designer

2012-12-12T17:39:00-05:00

Working out of the Box is a series of features presenting architects who have applied their architecture backgrounds to alternative career paths.

Working out of the Box: Prutha Raithatha

2012-05-17T12:55:00-04:00

Working out of the Box is a series of features presenting architects who have applied their architecture backgrounds to alternative career paths.

Working out of the Box: Annie Mohaupt

2009-02-17T13:48:00-05:00

Working out of the Box is a series of features presenting architects who have applied their architecture backgrounds to alternative career paths.

Are you an architect working out of the box? Do you know of someone that has changed careers and has an interesting story to share? If you would like to suggest an (ex-)architect, please send us a message.